Ruby Red As Blood
by Biigoh
Summary: Sometimes, things are not what they seem.


So I entered a weekly (every saturday) speed-ficcing on the TFF, with a duration of 4 hours to do up a fic. But this week got an extended duration as the prompt was late, and the time was unreasonable.

I did a Naruto fic this week. ^_^;

It's not as good as I would have wanted it. But damn it, I need sleep too. And I could stop with being distracted by stuff online.

Copyrights : Naruto and all character in said manga/anime belongs to Masashi Kishimoto  
Title : **Ruby Red. As Blood.**  
Theme : **Things that Say "BRAAAINS!" in the Night**

_Zombies, ghosts and goblins, oh my! The night is filled with all sorts of strange creatures, many of which would like nothing better than to feast on your grey matter! _

_Write a story featuring a killer monster. This can be an Eldritch Horror, a demon, a plague of undead, or anything that's likely to rip your character's skulls open to feast on their delicious brains. Going the Scooby-Doo, "It's a trick!" route is fine as well. _

_Your story should lean towards horror, mystery or tragedy--this isn't DnD, this is Silent Hill. Remember that the shambling hordes of the undead are terrifying for a reason!_

Fic Start time : 10:15 PM PST  
Fic Posted time : 4:10 AM PST

* * *

The boy ran, fear and panic lending strength beyond the brief and instant boost of chakra that he used to push himself ever forward.

He cared not that the slapping of his sandals against the hard road echoed against the walls of the buildings.

He heard only the sound of his breath, the rapid pounding of his heart.

Everything else beyond his body, all of Konoha around him was silent beyond the dull roar of blood in his ears.

And empty.

Yet, it hadn't been empty before he stepped into the Uchiha district. With its pools of spreading blood, and still bodies on the ground as the scent of cherry blossoms hung heavy in the air.

There had been people as he walked home from taijutsu training in the park.

Where were they?

Where were the ANBU?

Where was EVERYONE? They.... they couldn't all be gone.

They had been as plentiful and everywhere, just like the falling white cherry blossoms in the park.

He questioned not the crimson moon as it bathed his entire world ruby red nor the face on it that laughed silently at him.

He... he had to get help.

Someone. Anyone who could.... who would... his mind shied away from what he tried to articulate in his thoughts.

The glowing crimson eyes that burned with malevolence that had gazed at him earlier, the emotionless expression. The tight amused up twist of lips, in a mockery of a smile, that revealed sharp incisors.

Far too sharp for the face of his brother. Or that of any human. Highlighted in the dark shadows with what wasn't concealed by the shadows painted bone white by the moon.

He couldn't hear what that THING in the shape of his brother had said as it stood in the pool of crimson in the dark training hall. Not with the roaring in his ears as his eyes took in the bodies of his father and mother where they lay in the shadows, the source of the spreading blood.

The harsh jerk of his breath was interrupted as he struck into an obstacle, one that caused him to lose his footing. As he tumbled over the obstruction, and with it, a part of his mind idly wondered why there was a squeal coming from the thing he had run into.

Panting as he landed on his knees, having tumble head over heels, he blinked as looked downwards to see a mass of faint pink hair, while a pair of emerald green eyes blinked quizzically up at him.

She seemed somewhat familiar to the boy. Wasn't she one of his classmates?

One of the girls who squealed over him? Declaring that they loved him. That they would make him theirs? That they would be with him forever?

"Sa...."

"Shh...." He twitched, and silenced her with a hand over her mouth as he peered about the empty streets of Konoha. Realization finally having sat in that the streets hadn't been silent. Far from it. He merely hadn't been listening as he ran.

"Foolish little brother," the mocking voice of his elder brother echoed softly from a distance. "Where do you think you can run to where I can not find you?"

"C... come," He pushed down his fears with a dry swallow. He had to be strong, yes.... strong. He was an elite Uchiha. And he had someone to protect.

His classmate accepted his trembling hand wordlessly as he stood up. "W.... we need to find the ANBU... w... warn the hokage. Someone."

He had to keep going, because stopping meant facing that Thing that wore his brother's face.

The slightest sound of rustling of sandaled feet against roof to the side of the two of them was enough to get them moving.

Away.

Down an alley that led away from the center of Konoha, Hokage tower on top of the academy.

Not stopping meant not having to see the elongated incisors or the blood red lips that framed them on the far too pale face of his brother.

"This way..." she pulled her hand free of his grasp before jumping for the wall, bouncing off a power pole, before landing on the top of a wall. He didn't need to see her gesture before following suit.

The physical training from the academy ensured that they didn't fall off as they raced along the top of the wall, a perfect mix of balance and speed. Admitedly, it also meant that they were easily seen. But he held no illusions that his brother didn't know exactly where they were.

"Your little friend can't help you, you know..." the whispering voice slid in much like a sword blade across silk. Delightfully soft and familiar, and all too deadly in its display. From the jerk of her body as she ran, it was clear that she had heard.

He was baiting them. Letting panic and fear wear them down. Just like wolves hunted down their prey in the wild. Striking when they were at their weakest, drawing their torment out as long as possible. For his pleasure.

Pausing before crouching and leaping, his pink haired companion sailed into the air weightlessly before landing on and pushing off the bridge across the stream that divided one of the many training grounds and garden parks in Konoha from the city itself.

As she landed on a tree branch in the park ground, he could see the pride on her face as she turned to look at him of what she had managed. If she could do that, well... far be it from him to demonstrate that he wasn't the top student in the academy for nothing.

A quick look about showed him what he needed to do to reach the same branch as her from his current position. A quick dash before he leapt into empty air, more a kunai than the weightless petal she had been

"So quick to fly from me, silly little brother. Was it not this morning that you wanted my attention? For me to play with you?"

Undistracted by the whisper in his ear, his hand reached out as he glided under the torii gate to pull him up before he launched off against the lower bar on said gate and across the bridge. He couldn't see or sense his brother... but he had to be so close, to taunt him constantly.

A slight gesture from his companion, and hopefully not seen by his brother, had him nodding. He could see what his pink haired companion had planned with the concise gesture. A loop around to the hokage tower. He was surprised that his classmate could act so professionally once she was no longer with the other girls who gushed over him.

It was a pleasant change. Even if the situation wasn't ideal. Granted, it could have been the situation that had her behaving almost like a proper ninja.

Leaping from tree to tree, he could almost pretend that this was just a night training exercise as the full moon shone down upon him amidst the sea of white cherry blossoms.

As he landed upon the branch of the largest tree with pink blossoms that seemed familiar to him, he stumbled and slipped. The soft cry of pain as he landed on the ground by a taijutsu post was enough to startle the wild life.

At least, the murder of crows that launched from the trees cawing at his cry seemed to indicate that they were startled and would like to share said startlement.

His companion landed softly by his side in the a blizzard of white and pink cherry blossom petals. "Sasuke-kun, are you hurt?"

"Ah, I... I think I twisted my ankle," a soft shake of his head as he attempted to stand up resulted in a wince as he fell back to the ground.

"Come, I've got you," With care she helped him to the tree, resting him against the trunk. Nestled between two large roots, he blinked at the taijutsu training dummy. He had been training here for the last few weeks by himself.

"Let me take a look," she twisted his foot about gently, making sure that it wasn't anything more serious than a twisted ankle. "It seems fine... just needs some rest. Ne, Sasuke-kun... wh... why don't you rest here for a while."

"I... I'll stand guard," Straddling his legs as she moved closer to him, she seemed earnest even if there was room for doubt that she would be able to protect him against that Thing beyond being a momentary distraction.

Surrounded by the sweet scent of cherry blossoms, he sighed and gave a nod before slowly relaxing against the tree trunk. Surrounded by the pair of roots, and seated on the soft ground it wasn't long before his body gave in to the stress it had been under all night.

His head slowly nodded, as his eyes slipped shut.

"You will be mine forever. Sasuke-kun, I'll make sure no one takes you away from me."

The boy didn't hear the words as he slipped into sleep, nor did he see his classmate disappear into a swirl of pink cherry blossoms that faded away.

Bit by bit, the sakura tree that he sat under, and amongst its roots, pulled him in as he rested. Til no trace could be seen of his having ever rested there.

Elsewhere in the Uchiha district, a concerned family started a search for a boy who never returned home after leaving school.

* * *

_It is said that the pink in the cherry tree's petals is because of the blood it drinks from the corpses buried beneath its roots. But sometimes, that blood comes from those still alive._

* * *

Owari?


End file.
